Corporate Club International has now added the MEBA show to our official list of events and will therefore be attending, covering and inviting our exclusive members to MEBA 2008.
Introduction to MEBAA by Ammar Balkar 1st elected President & CEO
As the first elected President & CEO of MEBAA, it gives me great pleasure to give this introduction to MEBAA with further details on the MEBA show.
MEBAA believes the profile of business aviation in the Middle East is sufficient to warrant a dedicated supplement of its own for the region. We anticipate that this interest in MEBAA will grow substantially in the years to come in line with the expansion of the industry here.
MEBAA launched impressively in 2006 and now boasts over 89 members – but we are confident that this figure will rise to over 300 by 2012. The Middle East is now undoubtedly a major economic centre, and MEBAA’s membership footprint is focused on all Arab league countries.
MEBAA’s growth is an acknowledgement of the strength of the Middle East market for business aviation – a sector actively pursued by an increasing number of regional players.
Going forward, I anticipate many opportunities will emerge for the business aviation sector in this region. Creation of the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) will help us better identify and seize these opportunities, which will encompass a range of associated industries from mainframe and interiors suppliers, to infrastructure developers, VIP, executive and private jet charter operators, aircraft management companies, insurers, and financiers amongst many others. We all stand to gain.
The task before us is to ensure the region is prepared to benefit in terms of best practice operations, the correct infrastructure, sufficient training and effective registration. MEBAA will assist and be instrumental by gathering the business aviation community together with regulatory bodies and legislative parties to examine the challenges for the region and help identify the solutions. The public and private sector aim to develop this important aviation segment is most definitely gathering momentum. By working together much can be achieved.
MEBA Show
Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA), the dedicated B2B conference and exhibition for the region’s business aviation sector, is to expand to a three-day event on its next showing later in 2008.
The expansion follows exhibitor and visitor feedback for last years two-day event at Airport Expo Dubai which notched up an impressive US $907 million on-site order book with Wallan Aviation of the UAE receiving a US $75 million order for Cessna aircraft.
The Cessna order, which came in the closing hours of the show, topped up an on-site order book which also boasted US $580 million worth of sales for Airbus, a US $250 million deal – the region’s biggest jet agreement from Saudi charter business and Netjets affiliate National Air Services – for 20 Hawker 750 aircraft from Raytheon Aircraft Company and a US $52 million Bombardier confirmation for four Learjet 60XR from Saudi Businessman Ghassan Tabbah and Dubai.
The event was hailed by conference delegate, exhibitor and visitor alike as a much-needed initiative in one of the world’s fastest-growing business aviation markets with much kudos going to the organization and the close proximity to the static park where 31 aircraft were on display.
The registration profile including members of ruling families from throughout the Gulf, the highest echelons of corporate business from the wider Middle East and Africa and the heads of family conglomerates within the GCC.
VVIP visitors included His Royal Highness Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia and Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director of India’s Kingfisher Airlines. Both proffered optimistic forecasts for business aviation in the region.
“Business aviation has become a need both regionally and internationally because of increased global trade, commerce and tourism activities,” said Prince Sultan. “It is also due to the fact that passengers and clients have recently experienced a dip in the services offered by commercial airline companies internationally. Saudi businessmen are extremely active and need private jets to be even more effective.
“Addressing delegates at the MEBA conference, Ali Al Naqbi, Chairman of the Middle East Business Association (MEBAA) said that Saudi Arabia is the Gulf’s biggest business aviation market representing 50% of the regional fleet which is now in excess of 300 aircraft.
Sheikh Ahmed said business aviation could serve as an economic driver if it was given a helping hand in the region.
“For the sector to further develop, particularly within the GCC, there needs to be greater co-operation among civil aviation authorities towards open skies policies, which will free up the market, increase competition, generate new opportunities – and deliver greater economic success,” he said.
For further details please contact: randerson@corporate-club.com